#should i tag susan she is mostly just here as Baby

[quietwingsinthesky]

Drabble 85/366 - Doctor Who

“Is your grandfather ignoring you, my dear?” The Master scoops up Susan as she cries.

“She has to sleep in her crib.” The Doctor does nothing to stop him. (Susan has clearly inherited her father’s lungs.) “Put her down, Koschei.”

The Master smiles down at her. “Hush,” he murmurs. Susan inhales, and the Doctor tenses for another wail. “I said, hush, child.”

Susan blinks, sleepy.

“That’s cheating,” the Doctor grumbles.

“She doesn’t mind.” He rocks Susan, finally asleep through his hypnotic intervention. “You look as exhausted as she does.”

“Don’t even try.” The Master laughs, softly so Susan doesn’t wake.

[freddiesaysalright]

Beautiful Mess Epilogue

A Brian May x Reader Fic

Summary: Reader works in a bookshop. She meets Brian May and they have an instant connection. It seems to be a fairy tale romance. But, things are seldom what they seem.

Word Count: 1k

Tag List: @psychosupernatural​, @someone-get-a-medic​, @bensrhapsody​, @deakyclicks, @crazylittlethingcalledobsession​, @minigranger​, @crazyweirdocalledfriday​, @mrs-jack-murphy​, @not-john-watsons-blog​, @simmisblog​, @mirkwoodshewolf​, @assembledherethevolunteers​, @thosequeenboys​, @lv7867​, @maymacca​, @rethought​, @brianslittlepet​, @jinxy93​, @stephydearestxo​, @mrcleanisthicc​, @7-seas-of-fat-bottomed-girls​, @readinghorn​, @lookuptotheskiesandsee​, @reedusteinrambles​, @borhapqueen92​, @1204-moonchild, @bohemiansweede​

A/N: The epilogue! Just for a little sweetness to wrap up this very dramatic story, lol. Thanks to all of you who read and loved this one. As usual, I had a great time writing it and look forward to writing even more for you guys :D

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 5  Part 6  Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10  Part 11

Epilogue here we go!!!

“This is taking forever,” Roger complained, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I told you it was too early to come to the hospital,” John returned. 

The little girl in his lap turned to face him.

“Did I take this long, Uncle John?” she wondered.

He smiled at her, poking her nose with his finger to make her giggle.

“Longer,” he said.

“Was Uncle Roger this grouchy?” she asked.

He laughed. “Grouchier.”

“Oi, don’t turn that girl against me,” Roger snapped at John. He turned to her. “I was absolutely thrilled when you got here, Melanie May.”

“I believe you,” she assured him with a smile.

“You should know how long it takes, Rog, you’ve got kids,” John reminded him.

“Yeah, but it’s different when you’re in there where everything is happening,” Roger replied. “There’s nothing to do out here.”

John rolled his eyes and looked back at Melanie.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go and stay with Auntie Veronica?” he offered. “Uncle Roger is right, there’s not much to do here.”

She shook her head.

“No way,” she said firmly. “I want to be right here when my little brother comes.”

“You’re a good sister,” he praised, stroking her hair.

Melanie had inherited her father’s messy, dark curls. They were near impossible for Brian to maintain, but on a three year old, they proved even more so. Lately, you both had basically given up trying to tame them at all. John turned out to be excellent at styling hair and he had somehow managed to get it all into one plait down her back. It was perfect for today, since she was mostly reading or coloring to occupy her time.

“Are we late?” Freddie wondered as he and Jim entered the waiting room.

“Haven’t missed a damn thing,” Roger assured him.

“Oh, good,” Freddie said.

“Uncle Fred!” Melanie cried, scrambling off of John’s lap.

She trotted over to Freddie, who scooped her up and kissed her cheek sweetly.

“How are you, lovie?” he asked. “Ready to be a big sister?”

“Mhm!” she said with glad nod. “I’ve already colored three pictures for him. Wanna see?”

“Always,” he agreed.

He set her down and followed her over to the coffee table where her little drawings were. Jim greeted Roger and John as he took a seat beside the latter. Freddie gushed over Melanie’s artwork, and she beamed at his praise.

“Have you seen Brian and Y/N?” Jim asked.

“We saw them briefly right when we got here,” Roger answered. “But she was tired, so we let her rest.”

“Understandable,” Jim said. “How long has the labor been going on?”

“About thirteen hours now,” John said. “Brian brought Melanie to mine around midnight last night on their way here. We’ve only been here since this morning.”

“Good lord, thirteen hours, really?” Freddie sighed, looking over at them. “Is everything okay?”

“Think so,” Roger said. “No one’s told us otherwise.”

Melanie glanced at each of their faces. Her own started to fall.

“Is Mummy gonna be okay?” she wondered, her voice small.

“Oh, of course she is, darling,” Freddie assured her.

He picked her up, sat beside Roger, and placed her in his lap.

“Uncle Fred’s right, love,” Roger added. “Mums are made to do this. It’s what makes them mums.”

“And if anything happens, your dad and all these doctors and nurses are right there to help her,” John said. 

She sighed with relief. “Okay, good.”

“Where are your grandparents?” Roger wondered suddenly.

“Grandma Susan and Grandpa Charlie are in Paris,” Melanie told him. 

“Ruth and Harold are ill,” John explained. “Brian said he’ll bring the baby to them when they’re feeling better.”

“Ah, well, hope you’re okay with just your uncles, darling girl,” Roger said to Melanie.

“Always,” she returned.

Freddie released her so she could go and color again. All four of them watched her, humming to herself as she went. Roger got to his feet and stretched, rolling his sore shoulders.

“Fuck it, I’m coloring,” he announced, and he sat cross-legged beside Melanie.

“Here, Uncle Roger!” she said happily, handing him some paper and a crayon.

“Thanks, sweets,” he said. “What’chya humming there?”

“Radio GaGa,” she answered, swirling a purple line across the page.

Roger smirked. “I am so rubbing that in Brian’s face.”

“Oh yeah?” John challenged. “Mel, what’s your favorite song from Daddy’s band?”

“Bites the Dust!” she cried.

John raised his eyebrows and smirked at Roger, who frowned.

“Alright, Deaky, you made your point,” Freddie said through a giggle. He stood up. “I’m with Rog, might as well color to do something.”

“You’ve barely been here five minutes,” John pointed out.

“So what?” Freddie returned. “I can color if I want.”

He took a seat across from the other two. John and Jim looked at one another, shrugged, and then joined the party on the floor.

“What’s your picture of?” Jim asked Melanie.

“It’s a galaxy,” she said. “This one’s for Daddy.”

“You gonna draw one for Mummy too?” Freddie asked.

“Of course!” she said. “But all of you have to draw something for the baby. I’ve already done mine, so you’re all very behind.”

They all chuckled and got to work. Melanie made the waiting a lot more fun.

Brian walked wearily down the corridor to the waiting area. His heart was so full as his spirit soared. His son was here. He had a son. You had made it through the delivery perfectly and were now resting while the lactation specialist talked to you briefly about breastfeeding. Since you’d already had one baby, it wouldn’t take long, so Brian took that opportunity to tell his friends the good news.

He saw them all hunched over a coffee table with Melanie, coloring. He couldn’t hold back his laughter. His daughter whipped around at the sound. Her face lit up when she saw him.

“Daddy!” she cried, and came hurtling over to him.

He scooped her up and held her close.

“Hi, darling,” he said.

“Is he here?” she wondered.

His bandmates and Jim caught up.

“Yeah, is he here?” Roger repeated.

“He’s here,” Brian said. “Y/N is fine, the baby’s fine. It’s all fine.”

“Can we see him?” Freddie asked.

“Yep,” Brian answered. “Come with me.”

“Oh, the pictures!” Melanie protested.

“On it,” said Roger, and he jogged back to the table to collect them.

When everyone was ready, they followed Brian back toward your room.

“What name have you given him?” Jim asked.

Brian smiled. “His name is Richard.”

[daniwritessometimes]

Between Friends, Chapter Nine

For all you lovely people in this hard time, here’s another sweet chapter. Tagging: @ldyglfr62, @jroseley, @norbertsmom, @b-boop5. If you would like to be tagged on future chapters, please let me know!

    The Osbornes were always loud. It was mostly because there were so many of them and they were always multiplying one way or another.

    Naomi’s wedding was everything it was expected to be. And by the time they made it to the Osborne Mansion, Teddy was very cranky and tired. He whined about being hungry.

    “We have to greet your aunt.” Susan scolded. “Please just wait.”

    “I want to eat, Susan. I want to eat now!” Teddy’s voice was causing people to look their direction. Susan felt very uncomfortable.

    She took him by the hand. “Come along, dear.” She started walking toward the stairs.

    “You said food before nap.” Teddy whined.

    “Theodore, I swear on all that I am…” Susan spoke under her breath, but Teddy still heard.

    “Theodore is only for when I’m in trouble.”

    His protests caught Alec’s attention and he gave Susan a comforting smile. “Need some assistance, Susan?”

    “No, thank you, my lord.” Susan shuffled Teddy up the stairs as quickly as possible.

    Once in the nursery, Susan greeted the Osborne’s nanny Cara.

    “Good morning, ma’am.” Cara stooped down. “And how are you, Master Theodore?”

    “Theodore’s only when I’m in trouble.” Teddy pouted.

    Susan smoothed a hand over his hair. “He’s tired.”

    Cara nodded. “I have a place for you to lay your head, dear boy.” She held out her hand.

    Teddy held tight to Susan’s hand. “Don’t want to go with her. I’m hungry, Suzie.”

    Susan sighed and knelt in front of him. “Darling, I promise you that I will have someone bring you something to eat. But I need you to go with Cara and get some sleep. You were up half the night and then we had to get up early. Please, my love.”

    Teddy huffed. “Yes, ma’am.” He turned to Cara. “Where do I go?”

    “Be kind, my darling.” Susan kissed the top of Teddy’s head.

    Cara took Teddy’s hand. “Will you wait just a moment, ma’am?”

    Susan nodded, but looked toward the door. She really needed to rejoin the wedding festivities. She watched anxiously as Cara helped Teddy remove his shoes and coat before getting into a waiting bed. She came over to Susan as soon as Teddy was settled.

    Cara pulled her away a few feet. “I don’t mean to overstep, Miss Wright, but if you are in need of a nanny, I can compile a list for you.”

    Susan smiled and felt her chest lighten. “I would very much appreciate that. Thank you.” She looked over to Teddy and saw he was already fast asleep. “Bartholomew and Olivia should be up with the rest of the children soon. Thank you so much for all you do.”

    “It is my job, ma’am.” Cara smiled and went to attend to Alec’s baby across the room.

    Susan encountered Anthony on the steps escorting the rest of the children.

    He grabbed her hand. “Wait for me here.”

    She squeezed his hand and nodded. She watched Anthony step into the nursery and nodded at his siblings as they brought their children in after him.

    Anthony stepped back out and came up close to Susan. He took her face between his hands and kissed her forehead.

    She smiled. “I would prefer a proper kiss.”

    He kissed the tip of her nose.

    She giggled. “A little lower and you’ll have it right.”

    His lips met hers briefly. “I had to go in search of your oldest just now. He snuck a book into his coat and found a very secluded spot to read. Missed seeing Naomi and Reginald’s entrance.” His hands dropped down to her shoulders and slid down the length of her arms.

    “I checked him over before we left, but he must have picked it up when I was distracted by the other two.” She kissed his hands and let them go. “Teddy was giving me a very hard time.”

    “I saw.” He held out his arm for her to take and started for the stairs. “It was a beautiful service, was it not?”

    “Gorgeous. Will ours be the same?”

    “Do you want it that lavish? I personally would prefer to make it a little more subdued.”

    “I still haven’t decided.”

    Anthony laughed. “We only have a few more months.”

    “Yes, I know. But with you, I think anything is possible.” She looked up at him. “You want it lavish, just like your sister’s.”

    “I do. Jess and Alec married quickly. Athena had a big wedding and then her first husband died, so she didn’t want another large wedding. I’m the fourth to get married. I think my parents are expecting a big to-do.”

    “I don’t think my inheritance will allow for anything too large.”

    They stopped at the first landing. There were so many people. Susan didn’t recognize more than Anthony’s family.

    “That is a lot of people.” Anthony observed.

    “Too many people.” Susan looked up at him. “I want just your family. We can still do it up big with fewer guests.”

    He smiled and leaned close. “My siblings will be teasing me relentlessly if there is no one else around.”

    “I know you dislike it, but I have never had that experience and I love seeing it.”

    He brought her hand to his lips. “Then just my family and I will endure the jabs from my brothers and sisters for you.”

****

    Zoe stood alone off to the side. The party was starting to wind down. She was ready to go up to her room, take off the dress and sleep for three or four days.

    Susan was across the room dancing with Alec. He was making her laugh. Zoe loved Susan’s laugh. It was such a shame that there were too many people between them for her to hear it clearly. Still, she could hear the last musical notes of it.

    When the song was over, Wulfric stepped up onto the dais. “I want to thank you all for coming today to celebrate my beautiful daughter and her new husband. We have one more set. Please, find your desired partner and enjoy.” He stepped down and took Sarah’s hand to pull her into the next dance.

    It was a waltz. Zoe loved a waltz. She looked around, but no one seemed to be available to dance with her. She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall as the music started.

    Anthony pulled Susan into the floor and Zoe was awash with jealousy. She would never be able to hold Susan like that in a crowd. She would never be able to lean in and whisper in her ear the way Anthony was doing now. And she knew he had been staying with her at least one night a week, sometimes more.

    There was a tap on her shoulder and she turned to see a young man standing there. She recognized him as Reginald’s younger brother. What was his name again?

    “Lady Zoe, might I have the pleasure of your company on the dance floor?” He asked. He had a kind smile at least.

    She considered refusing, but she really did like to dance the waltz. She nodded and placed her hand in his outstretched one.

    He twirled her out onto the dance floor. He was very confident and competent in his steps. He didn’t speak to her. Not a single word.

    And then the song was over. He bowed over her hand. It was then she remembered his name.

    “Thank you very much, Lord Nigel.” Zoe smiled when he kissed her hand.

    “Might I pay you a call sometime?” Nigel asked.

    “Yes, that would be lovely.” He kissed her hand again and he walked away.

    She flexed her hand. She would not like to have a man paying a call. But she needed to. She needed to keep up appearances.

    Susan came over and looped her arm through Zoe’s. “Who was that handsome gentleman?”

    Zoe rolled her eyes. “Reginald’s brother. He wants to call on me. I suppose it won’t hurt.”

    “No, I don’t suppose it will.” Susan leaned close. “As it is so late and the children are all sleeping, your parents have offered me a room for the night.”

    Zoe grinned. “That’s very kind of them.” She pulled Susan into a dark corner and leaned close to her ear to whisper, “Would you like me to come to your room?”

    “If you wish it.”

    They had done nothing more than steal a few short kisses in secret. Zoe had been craving more, but there was no way for her to get it just yet. And Susan had told her on many occasions that she wanted to take that bit very slow the first time.

    “Then I will see you later.” Zoe gave Susan a swift kiss on the cheek before she skipped away.

    Zoe bid everyone goodnight and headed toward her room. Anthony stopped her at the foot of the stairs.

    He stood close and spoke softly. “Mama is putting Susan in the room beside yours. Be careful. Be quiet. And don’t fall asleep in there.” He walked around her up the stairs to his own room.

    Zoe looked after him. Was that jealousy in his voice? Anger? Was he just tired? Anthony pretended to like crowds and attention, but she noticed he usually spent a lot of time alone the day following any gathering of more than half a dozen people.

    She ran up the stairs after him. “Hey!”

    He stopped and turned to wait for her to meet him on the stairs.

    “If you want to go to her room—”

    Anthony held up his hand and looked around. “I’ve had her enough for now. When you live with us, if this business is still going on, we’ll have to figure something else out.”

    “Had her enough? That’s not a very kind way of putting it.” Zoe crossed her arms.

    Anthony sighed and leaned against the rail. “I didn’t mean it to sound that way.” He looked over his shoulder. Susan was still talking with their parents in the drawing room. He could just barely see them from the angle. “All of this is different and new for the three of us.” He looked up. “You’re my sister. She’s my very good friend. And I am a man who has been hiding my true self from everyone. I don’t want any of us to get hurt. I’ve gone through enough. And so has she. So, we will just go along as best we can.” He reached out and squeezed Zoe’s shoulder. “Be careful.”

    He walked away again.

    Zoe wasn’t sure what it all meant. She knew Susan’s maid had been her lover and decided to stay behind after the inheritance. And Anthony never had admitted to her aloud before, only alluded. It’s why Zoe felt comfortable enough to tell him about her feelings for Susan.

    Zoe rang for her maid and changed for bed. And then she waited. She listened as the rest of her family made their way to their rooms.

    She heard Susan, Alec, and Jess walk past talking about their children.

    “This one will be yours,” she heard Alec say. “Jess can help you find your way back once we’ve finished in the nursery.”

    Zoe walked over to the door and listened. She didn’t hear anyone else in the hall. She opened the door and peered out into the darkness. No one was in sight.

    It only took her a moment to decide to sneak into the room Susan would be occupying for the night. She waited for what felt like an hour. Eventually she heard soft voices again outside the door. This time it was Jess and Susan.

    Jess was speaking, “Sarah says she asked they assign a maid to help you. A nightgown will be found for your use. Just ring the bell.”

    “Thank you, Jess.” There was a pause. “I appreciate everything.”

    “We take care of every member of this family no matter what.”

    “It will take some getting used to for me. I don’t know how to rely on other people.” Susan bid one more goodnight and then stepped into the room. And jumped as soon as she saw Zoe standing in front of her. She covered her mouth to muffle the scream that escaped.

    “Sorry.” Zoe laughed. “I couldn’t stand to be in my room waiting on you another moment.”

    Susan put her hand to her heart and sat on the side of the bed. “Teddy woke from a nightmare and was a struggle to get him back to sleep.”

    “Does he often have nightmares?” Zoe sat beside her.

    “At least once a week. I think the loss of so many of his relatives leaves a mark internally.” Susan wrapped an arm around Zoe’s waist. “I would love for you to stay, but I have to ring for a maid.”

    “I can hide under the bed while you change.” Zoe offered.

    Susan snorted. “Whatever you wish.” She pressed a kiss to Zoe’s cheek. She pulled away and then gave another series of kisses across Zoe’s jaw and down her neck. Susan’s lips made the journey backward and paused just before Zoe’s lips.

    “Please take my mouth.” Zoe breathed.

    “Not yet.” Susan stood and rang the bell. “If you’re hiding, you better do it. I do most of my changing on my own, so this will be quick.”

    Zoe made her way to the toilet across the room and shut the door most of the way. She stared out though the cracked door as a maid arrived. It was her maid. That infuriating French accent floated over Zoe’s ears and sent heat through her body. She wondered if it did the same thing to Susan.

    The pair stood talking for a moment after Susan was changed. Zoe had to stifle a groan as the conversation continued. Susan looked in her direction and seemed to sense it. She escorted the maid to the door and bid her a goodnight.

    Zoe threw the door open. “About damn time.”

    Susan chuckled. “I apologize. I couldn’t get enough of hearing her talk.”

    “Oh, believe me, I completely understand.” Zoe moved forward. “She’s my maid.”

    Susan met her the rest of the way. “I wager you go about your day in a state of frustration after she dresses you in the morning.” Her fingers tangled in Zoe’s hair and imitated the maid’s accent as she spoke the next words. “That throaty voice tinged with the sweet accent chattering on about your hair and dress.”

    Zoe groaned and tried to move forward for a kiss, but Susan stopped her.

    “Not yet. Tell me what you want from me tonight.”

    “What I want?”

    “If you just want me to hold you and kiss you, I will. But if you want more, then we can do that too. You have to tell me. I don’t want to take more than you’re comfortable with.”

    Zoe bit her lip a moment. “Take me to bed. Just kiss me for now.”

    Susan kissed Zoe’s lips softly and then took her hand to lead her to the bed. She pulled back the blanket and motioned for Zoe to get in before her. Susan followed and wrapped her arms around Zoe and pulled her close.

    Zoe whispered, “I think I love you.”

    Susan smiled and gathered a handful of Zoe’s nightgown and yanked it up. “Don’t say that yet. I haven’t even pleasured you yet.”

    “Do it so I can know.” Zoe leaned forward and tried to kiss Susan again.

    Susan dodged away and moved her lips close to Zoe’s ear. “Have you ever pleasured yourself?”

    “Yes.” Zoe swallowed hard. She felt the pressure building between her legs and desperately wanted to reach down and relieve it.

    “Good. You know a little of what to expect.” Susan pulled at the nightgown some more. “You can tell me to stop at any time and I will not be hurt.”

    “I won’t want you to stop. I’ve wanted you to touch me since I first met you.” Zoe took hold of Susan’s wrist and removed it from the fabric of her nightgown to reach between her thighs.

    Susan took control of Zoe’s mouth as her hand made that final blessed contact. Zoe kept her grip on Susan’s wrist as her hand moved. She tangled her fingers in Susan’s hair and moaned into the older woman’s mouth.

    Zoe moved her hips in rhythm to Susan’s fingers. She finally loosened her grip on Susan’s wrist and groped for her hip. “Want to touch you.” Zoe mumbled as she pulled at Susan’s clothes.

    “Not yet.” Susan moved Zoe underneath her. “Would you mind if I put my mouth here?” She indicated where her fingers still moved against Zoe’s hard clit.

    “You can put your mouth there?” Zoe panted.

    Susan smirked. “If you want me to.”

    Zoe nodded. “Yes. Yes, please.”

    Susan lowered herself down Zoe’s body, pausing to kiss a line down Zoe’s body. With each press of her lips, Zoe felt herself growing closer to her climax. It was frightening and exhilarating. She combed her fingers through Susan’s hair and spread her legs wide.

    And then Susan’s mouth was there. “Holy fuck!” She gasped and then immediately covered her mouth.

    Susan looked up and smiled. “Shh. Everyone is sleeping.”

    “I know, but Christ, Susan!” Zoe pulled a pillow over and covered her face.

    Susan’s tongue was lapping and she was moaning like she was eating the most delicious meal ever. Zoe cried out into the pillow. She reached down and tangled her fingers in Susan’s hair. She was so close, but she didn’t want to come. Not yet. It felt so nice. So perfect. Would it ever feel this good again?

    “Zoe?” Susan whispered, her breath doing nothing to help the heat Zoe felt.

    She couldn’t manage words. She raised the pillow and looked down. “Hm?”

    Susan had a cheeky grin. “Do you like it?”

    “Hell yes.” Zoe pulled Susan’s head back in. “Keep going.”

    Susan chuckled and returned to sucking and licking. Zoe writhed against Susan’s mouth. She was so very close. She cursed into the pillow and bit it hard as she finally let herself go. She cried out as she rocked against Susan’s mouth, the other woman holding her steady.

    When her tremors finally stopped, she threw the pillow off to the side and melted into the mattress. “Holy fuck.”

****

    Susan rested her head on Zoe’s hip. Zoe lay limply for several minutes. Susan thought about her first time. She had been much more subdued. It had been a very frightening experience, but she’s adored every moment.

    Zoe started combing her fingers through Susan’s hair. “Is it always like that?”

    “Not always. Sometimes it won’t be as explosive. Sometimes it’s like the slight chill up your spine. Most of it is the in between.”

    “Can I do it to you now?” Zoe’s voice was soft and timid.

    “I don’t need your mouth if you’re not ready for that.” Susan moved up the bed and leaned close. “You don’t have to do any of it.”

    “How do I taste?”

    Susan grinned. “You could come and see.”

    Zoe bit her lip a moment and then leaned in for a soft kiss. “Is that how everyone tastes?”

    “With slight variation, yes.” They kissed again, a little longer.

    Zoe reached down and groped until she found the hem of Susan’s nightgown. “Do you think I woke anyone?”

    “I doubt it.” Susan groaned at the tentative touch. “That is so lovely.”

    “Do you want my mouth?”

    “Only on mine for now.” Susan moved to her back, pulling Zoe on top of her. She took hold of Zoe’s face and kissed her hard. Susan’s tongue probed deep into Zoe’s mouth. She moved her hips in time to Zoe’s fingers.

    She had been so ready from the moment Zoe pulled her into that dark corner. Hearing Zoe’s sweet cries muffled in the pillow had driven her to near-madness. So it didn’t take long for her to come. She held off as long as she could. She groaned into Zoe’s mouth and then sighed.

    “Was that okay?” Zoe asked softly, still hovering.

    “It was great. Thank you.”

    “Could I do better?”

    Susan smiled and stroked Zoe’s face. “You made me come. There is no better than that.”

    Zoe kissed her softly and then moved to the side. She slipped her hand into Susan’s. “Tell me about your first time.”

    Susan was quiet for a moment. She went back to that musty old house. The windows that overlooked a private lake. The cat scratching at the door.

    “It was an older woman. She’d come to the shop and there was something…” Susan brought her hand under her head and looked up to the ceiling. “She invited me for tea. And I went there every day for weeks just for tea and conversation. Then one day I went and all the servants were out. She asked me upstairs. She touched me. And I’d never felt so alive.”

    “How old were you?”

    Susan smiled. “Fifteen. She was near fifty. Neither of us should have done it. But I didn’t know what else to do. I wanted to be with women and she was offering. She died suddenly the following year.”

    “And then your maid became your lover?” Zoe asked.

    “Not until much later. There was no one for six years.” Susan sighed and turned to look at Zoe. “You should go to your bed.”

    Zoe nodded and kissed Susan. “I love you.”

    Susan smiled. “You’re sweet, Zo.”

    Zoe stood and walked backward toward the door. “In three months I can be with you whenever you want.”

    “I will want you often.” Susan assured her.

[notalwaysthevillian]

Brewing Love

Hello friends, and welcome to another AU.

Warnings: medicine mention, food mention, there’s a cat, let me know if there’s anything else!

Pairings: Remile; background Logicality & eventual Prinxiety

Word Count: ~1.3k

Based on this post by @teacupfulofstarshine! (Thank you so much for letting me write it, Star!)

Thank you to @onenightjoanly for looking this chapter over for me!

Next Chapter

Chapter 1

Setting the last stool on the counter, Remy took a step back. “You know, cuz, I was doubting this plan. But you’ve really pulled it off.”

Their new coffee shop looked great. The tan walls and the wooden floors worked well together. The Cozy Corner was full of pillows and bean bag chairs for anyone who’d need it. And, at Remy’s insistence, they had plenty of outlets.

It was perfect.

“We pulled it off.” Logan’s cheeks flushed pink. “I’d rather not admit it, but I needed the two of you to accomplish this.”

“Aww, Lo, that’s so sweet!” Patton pressed a kiss to Logan’s cheek, making his blush deepen.

Holding back a smirk at the nickname, Remy looked around. “Everything’s put up and clean. What time did you want me back here, Boss Man?”

Logan rolled his eyes. “Don’t call me that. And be here at 6.”

“So, 6:30? Gotcha.” With a wink at Patton, who giggled, Remy turned and headed out the door.

“No later than 6, Rem!”

Two minutes later, Remy was unlocking the door to his apartment. The second he walked in, Chai began winding around his legs, mewing.

“One second baby.”

Tossing his coat on the bench, he pulled her food out of the fridge, peeling away the lid. She plopped down in front of her food bowl, her tail swishing on the floor.

Remy scraped it into the food bowl with a spatula before gently rubbing her head. “There you go sweetie.”

Thankful that Logan had ordered them pizza earlier, Remy breezed through his nightly routine. When the clock hit 11, he popped his Ambien and threw the blankets over himself. Chai nudged the door open minutes later, jumping up and curling on her pillow.

“Goodnight, baby.”

The next morning, Remy groaned as his alarm went off, loud enough to scare Chai out of the room. He fumbled with his phone, sighing with relief as he managed to turn it off.

He stumbled into the shower, shivering as the icy water snapped him awake.

Once dressed, he fed Chai and grabbed a protein bar. Throwing on his bomber, he called out his goodbyes to her before heading out the door.

He walked into the shop at 6 on the dot, finding Logan and Patton already there.

“Wow, you’re on time for once?” Logan teased.

Remy raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got some flour on your cheek.”

Flushing a deep pink, Logan wiped it off. “I started the brews. Can you make sure the espresso machine has beans?”

Working in tandem, Logan and Remy opened the store. Every once in a while Patton would come out of the kitchen and put a pastry in the display case, as well as giving them compliments.

By the time it hit 7, they already had a few people waiting outside the door.

“Let ‘em in, Rem.”

Smiling brightly, Remy walked over and unlocked the door, throwing it open. “Welcome to Fuckoffee!”

“REMY!”

“FINE. You’re entering Get Roasted. If you want to be insulted, grab a mug on the left. If not, grab one on the right. See you at the counter, bitches.”

He held back a laugh as one of the older women gasped. “Is that how you treat your customers?”

“Hey, at least we’re giving you a choice. Would you rather we just insulted you right out the gate?”

The woman crossed her arms. “I think you should be more polite.”

“I think you shouldn’t tell me how to run my business.” Logan said as he walked up. He nudged Remy, who headed back behind the counter. “If you don’t like it, the door is right there, Helen.”

“It’s Susan.” She corrected.

A laugh left Logan’s mouth. “It’s all the same to me.”

With a huff, Susan turned and headed out the door. Logan turned to the small group mingling by the mugs. “Any of you have an issue?”

“No way! That was awesome!” One of them said, flashing him a smile. “I’m telling all of my friends about this place.”

“I don’t care what you do.” Logan deadpanned before heading into the kitchen, hiding a smile as he heard the group laugh.

Remy leaned on the counter, watching as one of the girls grabbed a black ‘insults’ mug and brought it up. “Whaddaya want?”

“A venti vanilla bean latte.”

“One basic white girl, coming up!” He called out.

He quickly made the drink before ringing her up. “4 dollars or no drink.”

“Is that with tax?” She asked, inserting her card into the machine.

A snort came out of Remy’s mouth. “You know that the neither of us don’t understand how tax works.”

Grabbing her drink, she threw $5 in the tip jar. “Thanks!”

The rest of the morning flew by, with a decent amount of people getting offended and leaving. Around one, they started to slow down, leaving Remy some time to clean the machines.

“Pardon me?”

Remy whirled around, an insult on his tongue. It died immediately when he saw the ‘polite white’ mug in the man’s hand.

A hand that was attached to an extremely attractive body. Who knew a cardigan could look so good?

“Hello there.” Remy said, sliding over to the counter. “What can I get you, handsome?”

Big brown eyes blinked back at him through a pair of glasses. “Why thank you! I’ll have a hot cocoa please. With soy milk if you could.”

“No problem! Coming right up.”

Remy made the drink at lightning speed, hoping to chat a little more with the clueless cutie. He handed it over with a flirty smile. “What brings you to our neck of the woods?”

“Oh, one of my patients came in this morning and told me all about this place!” He waved his hand in the air as he talked. “He told me that it was a breath of fresh air compared to most other coffee shops. It was the most I’ve ever gotten him to talk in a session, so I just had to come check this place out. The concept is extremely interesting. How did you come up with the idea?”

“It was mostly my cousin that thought of it. I’d told him that I was sick of seeing people bully their way into getting a free drink at my favorite coffee shops.” Remy stopped his story for a second to ring up another customer. He handed them their pastry before launching right back into it. “Logan had been wanting to run a business for a while, so he mentioned having a place where you could fire back at the customers. And if you’re the boss, you can’t get in trouble for it. So this place was born.”

The man placed his now empty mug down, the charms on his bracelet jingling. Remy’s eyes glanced over the charms, seeing ‘he/him’ written on them.

“I like your bracelet.”

“Oh, thanks.” The blush that crept up his face just made him look even cuter. “It helps my patients. They know whether it’s a he day or a she day or sometimes a they day.”

Seeing the tentative look in his eyes, Remy reached out, running his hands over the charms. “Don’t worry. We’re extremely LGBTQ friendly. Logan is gay, his boyfriend is pan, and I’m bi. If anyone cracks an offensive joke here, Logan’s policy is that they have one chance to fix it. It hasn’t happened yet, but he says that he’ll educate them and if they’re still rude, then they’re banned.”

“I’ll be telling all of my patients about this place then.” The man rose from his seat, grabbing his mug to put in the dish tray. “Thank you again!”

Remy watched him carefully set his mug in the tray before heading out the door.

It was only when he was serving the next customer that he realized he’d forgotten to get the man’s name.

Next Chapter

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[echelonlab-blog]

Reigning Madness – Chapter 52

Masterlist

Disclaimer: Fiction.

Warnings: None

Tagging: @hazeleyedleto @msroxyblog @letojokerownsme @miss-shannanigans @snewsome756   @maliciousalishious   @nikkitasevoli@meghan12151977 @mindlessselfindulgence88 @sanellv@ambolton@jayded-reality @bradlea23@spillinginkwithlove@alexis7215 @dezmarz@pezziecoyote@whoistheprettiest@avaj99@iridescxntsolitude@pheenixpeterson @guccilowell   @blondiefrommars @rowen1976​

Jared’s POV

  I stood there, utterly speechless and my mind began racing like mad. Susan sat down on the couch grinning happily. There were two possibilities, either A, she was lying just to try and cause some real drama, the kind of drama that would blow up fast and spread quickly, or B, she was really pregnant. Both possibilities made me want to jump off the nearest high rise building to my death. I couldn't imagine having her in my life for the next eighteen years while we respectively raised a child together, but apart. "I'll need proof of your claim and I don't mean some cheap, shitty little pregnancy test from the store. I want a real test and I also want DNA testing done as soon as possible. This changes nothing between us, and IF it's true, it will be handled legally. I refuse to allow you to cause any more trouble in my life Cynn."

 Her smile quickly turned to a frown and her face glowed red with anger. "I can't believe you would think I'd lie about something as serious as this Jared! This is our child, our baby, that we created together. A baby we made when we were in love, don't you even care?"

 I huffed at her words, too stunned by her declaration to even notice the bag she dropped near the door upon entering the house. "The fuck is this?"

  She leaned all the way back on the couch with a smirk. "I know you're not going to kick me out on the street while I'm carrying your child. I won't be able to pay my bills and will have nowhere to go."

 I felt like I was going to lose the delicious meal Caroline worked so hard to prepare for me. "I'll pay for a hotel, but you're not staying here Susan."

 Her dark lashes brimmed heavy with tears and within seconds, they burst forth like a dam exploding, spilling trails of makeup down her face. "My name is Cynnamon! Why are you calling me that? You've never, ever called me that and it hurts." She croaked, looking down at her legs. She was sobbing so hard and sniffling into her long sleeves. "Don't you have any feelings for me at all?"

I heard Caroline coming down the stairs and clenched my teeth, bracing for her reaction. If I had to guess what she would do, I would say that she would just leave and not want any more to do with me. "Will you just shut the fuck up? Your name is Susan! Nobody wants to call you by your stripper name, get over it!" Caroline was wearing one of my shirts and came to stand next to me. She grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers and glared at Susan. "Personally, I don't believe a word that comes out of your filthy mouth, but Jared said he is willing to pay for a hotel, so bye bye."

  Susan immediately stopped crying and fires of fury raged in her narrowed eyes. "Oh, I am pregnant, just you wait, you fucking whore." She looked down at her scars and snarled at Caroline. "You just wait and you'll both see! You've caused me enough grief and now I intend to pay you back."

 Caroline laughed, obviously tired of Susan and all of the drama that comes with her. "Oh for fuck's sake!" She shouted and dropped my hand. She gripped both of my forearms and turned me to face her. "You want to know what happened, what I did to Susan all those years ago?" She laughed and shot Cynn a dirty look and then focused back on me. "Susan Evans was transferred to my high school in the middle of the school year. She was unpopular and her family was poor, mostly because her father was a raging alcoholic. Well, little miss Evans was jealous of me, since my boyfriend, Jason, was a popular football player.... so, since her parents didn't have the money to buy her the clothing she wanted, she began stealing them. I guess she had no other choice and I can't really blame her. You know how teenagers can be, at that age to be picked on for not dressing a certain way is like social death."

 "Shut the fuck up Caroline!" Susan stood and I watched her nostrils begin to flare. Her fists balled up at her sides and I was ready to jump between them if needed.

 Caroline only laughed and continued her story. "Well, Susan was pretty enough and with the peer pressure of fitting in finally gone, she became popular. So popular, in fact, that she was able to persuade Jason to sleep with her at a party one night, which ruined my relationship with him and of course, he became her boyfriend. I was angry and wanted revenge. It just so happened that I got my revenge when shopping with my mother one weekend. Being the intelligent teenager I was, I knew what Susan was doing at the mall. She clearly had no money to buy the clothing, so she was there to steal them. I followed her, and proceeded to tell the cashier what she was up to."

"FUCK YOU CAROLINE!" Susan shouted out venomously.

 "Susan was arrested and when her father found out, he beat her. That's what the scars are and it's why she hates me."

 Susan lunged at Caroline, but I blocked her and gripped her wrists. Caroline moved back and picked up her cell. "Should I call someone? She obviously needs a mental evaluation."

  "I'll kill you! You fucking bitch!! LET ME GO!!" She was out of control and I was struggling to restrain her. One of her arms broke free and she slammed her hand down on the table, breaking the glass and cutting her hand badly.

 "Shit!" I screamed and Caroline rushed into the bathroom to get a towel. She shrugged free of my hold and wrapped the towel around her hand. I knew she would need stitches as she held the bloodied towel in her fist. "We have to go to the hospital. Now."

[alphacrone]

Heart Like Mine - or, Bitty finds himself in a McDonald’s on a lonely, Wednesday evening

[Part of the Blue-Eyed Jack ‘verse - Takes place in Nashville, long before Jack and Bitty meet...]

CW: mentions of homophobia, running away, vague mentions of homelessness, a very very lonely boy reconsiders his life choices, hopeful ending i promise

AN: So I was listening to Emily’s FANTASTIC playlist she made for Bitty in this universe and actually started crying at work thinking about Bitty when Heart Like Mine came on, so I had to write this little piece. 

Cause I heard Jesus He drank wine And I bet we'd get along just fine He could calm a storm and heal the blind And I bet He'd understand a heart like mine

-Miranda Lambert, Heart Like Mine

Eric didn’t know why he was here.

And — gosh — it was weird to think of himself as Eric, but that was the only name people knew him by in Nashville. He grew up as Baby and Dicky and Junior, as Sweetheart and Boo Boo and Champ. He went by other names as he got older, crueler names hissed at him in hallway at school, shouted at him from across the street. The kids in first grade called him Little Bittle, but even that seemed preferable to Eric in this moment. Eric was the lonely name of a lonely boy hundreds of miles away from a place he couldn’t call home. But it was the only name he had anymore.

It still didn’t explain why he felt the need to wander into a random church on a rainy, Wednesday evening.

Back in Georgia, Eric had attended church every single Sunday with his mama and Coach. He took communion with half the town, and it was the one moment in the whole week he felt like he was one of them. The reverend didn’t have the nicest things to say about boys like him, but when he spoke of love and peace and turning the other cheek, Eric felt like he could survive Madison and come out the other side a better person than he’d been before.

Well, he’d survived. But he’d become someone he didn’t know, someone who left in the middle of the night with no goodbye, save for the note on the kitchen table that read, I’m sorry. I love you. Don’t look for me.

Eric hadn’t signed it; that was the moment he shed all the names of his past, like he’d scraped off a snakeskin on the doorframe as he walked away.

Now that he sat here, in the back pew of an empty church, shivering under the blast of the A/C, Eric wondered if he’d ever grow his new skin, or if he’d feel this raw and tender forever.

In the lobby, he could hear someone vacuuming the carpet. Somehow it comforted Eric to know he wasn’t the only person in the building. He thought he’d come here to find God, to have one of those religious epiphanies that only happens when you’re the only one for miles, but maybe he’d just been looking for home.

“This is dumb,” he murmured, standing too quickly. He’d worked long and hard today — construction jobs were ruthless but paid better than the shitty tips he’d been getting at TGI Friday’s — and hadn’t eaten since breakfast. The world spun as he stumbled back out of the church, face and hands going cold and numb. The rain was coming down harder now, and Eric was just grateful he’d managed to save up enough to rent a closet-sized room in a sketchy sublease. Maybe he’d stop by a Bojangles and treat himself to chicken and biscuits, if only to fill his stomach better than a ramen pack would.

Eric didn’t find a Bojangles anywhere between the church and his apartment, to his disappointment, but he did find a McDonald’s, which was almost as good. The food was hot and salty and made him forget his aching muscles or the fact that after living in Nashville for several months he’d yet to land any sort of gig — not even at an old folks’ home or at an open-mic. The best he’d done was the day a kind woman dropped a twenty in his open guitar case as he busked on the Strip — one of ten curbside singers in a five-block radius. Maybe he’d have had more luck hitchhiking down to Austin to try his luck among the Willie Nelson- and Stevie Ray Vaughan-wannabes. But Eric couldn’t imagine having more than one state line between him and the family he’d left behind, as far away as he felt now.

“Give me a sign,” he said, staring down at his half-eaten burger and fries. “Give me a sign to give up and move on with my life.”

Eric didn’t know if he was speaking to God or the universe or the spirit of the cow that was now his dinner, but it didn’t matter. He’d take anything as an omen now, take any sort of permission to let his dreams die and move on from the bright lights of Nashville.

“Hey, uh, do you mind if I sit here? I don’t really want to eat alone.”

Eric looked up into warm, brown eyes peering down at him curiously. They belonged a boy — no, a young man — who couldn’t have been much older than Eric himself. He wore one of those Best Buy ‘Geek Squad’ polos and looked as worn as Eric felt, but his smile was bright and kind.

“Sure,” Eric said, voice coming out as more of a surprised squeak. “I’m- I’m Eric.”

“Abel,” the man said. He sat down in the seat across from Eric, setting down his tray. “And thanks. I was gonna take this home, but my roommates are out and I guess I just wasn’t ready to sit in an empty apartment by myself.”

There was a loneliness in Abel’s eyes that felt achingly familiar. Eric nodded in understanding.

“I’m grateful for the company,” he said, picking at the seeds on his bun. “I was feelin’ a bit lonely myself.”

Abel smiled at him and they dug into their meals in a comfortable silence. After a couple minutes, Abel swallowed a large mouthful of burger and asked, “So, Eric, what do you do?”

Ah, the horrors of smalltalk. “Oh, um, right now I’m working in construction. S’the best work I could find. Been thinking ‘bout saving up to take a class or something, maybe get into something vocational.” He nodded at Abel’s shirt. “Never really had booksmarts. ‘C’s get degrees’ and all that.” He laughed nervously.

“You know anything about bartending?” Abel asked. “My cousin’s got a little dive near here, he’s looking for a bartender. Pays decently, not nearly as dangerous as construction.”

“Sadly, no,” Eric said with a shrug. “Only time I’ve ever spent in bars has been going to shows. I’m only 19.”

“That’s old enough for plenty of people,” Abel said, not unkindly. “What shows do you go to?”

Eric shrugged, popping a french fry into his mouth. “Mostly country, lots of up-and-coming singers and bands. Sometimes more indie stuff, but country’s my thing, for better or worse.”  

“You a singer?” Abel asked around a mouthful of food. When Eric nodded, he continued, “You should sign up for the open mic battle at Black-Eyed Susan’s — it’s this terrible bar that only stays open because it hosts really fun competitions and shows and stuff.”

“Oh.” Eric sat a little straighter. This wasn’t the sign he’d asked for at all, but he’d be a fool not to see it as the opportunity it was. “Yeah, that’d be- that’d be great.”

“Here,” Abel pulled a pen from his pocket and scribbled vague directions down on a napkin. “I forget the address, but it’s not that far from here. If you talk to a girl named Jenny, tell her I sent you.” He paused, smiling goofily. “That’s my sister. She’s the best.”

Eric laughed. “I’m sure she is. Thank you, this is- I walked in here ready to give up and you really turned my night around.”

Abel shrugged, looking embarrassed. “It’s nothing. I thought I’d be eating by myself and now I have a new friend. Sometimes magical things can happen in a McDonald’s on a rainy day, Eric.”

But it wasn’t magic, or even divine intervention. The universe didn’t really care what happened to Eric, but maybe Nashville would.

“Call me Bitty,” he said after a moment. Itty Bitty Bittle, he could hear the boys in the locker room jeering, but the memory didn’t hurt like it once had. He’d show them; he’d show them all what Bitty could do. “No one’s ever really called me Eric. I go by Bitty.”

Abel shrugged and smiled and said, “Well, then, it’s real nice to meet you, Bitty. I really can’t wait to hear you sing.”

[Blue-Eyed Jack Masterpost]

[Writing tag]

[My online novel, The Discourt Knife]

[awkwardlyamusing-blog]

Dog Gone Problems: How can we train our dog to go out the dog door and potty on his own? | Momaha.com

New Post has been published on http://doggietrainingclasses.com/dog-gone-problems-how-can-we-train-our-dog-to-go-out-the-dog-door-and-potty-on-his-own-momaha-com/

Dog Gone Problems: How can we train our dog to go out the dog door and potty on his own? | Momaha.com

Dog Gone Problems is a weekly advice column by David Codr, a dog behaviorist in Omaha. David answers dog behavior questions sent in by our readers. You can reach him at dogbehaviorquestions@gmail.com.

I just got a 5-month-old double doodle. He goes in and out the doggy door, which opens to a deck, by himself. I trained him in two days. He will go down the stairs into the yard to use the potty just fine. How can I train him to go out to potty all by himself? I’ve only had him three days, so hoping it will just take some time. I would love some tips to speed the process along.

Congrats on your new dog. Sounds like a smart one, which should make solving this problem pretty easy.

First off, you need to come up with a fun word that means to go outside. Dogs are the only animal on the planet who can read a human’s facial expressions, so coming up with a word that makes people smile and laugh can provide your dog with added motivation.

Next, have a family member or friend outside with a plethora of wonderfully stinky high-value treats your dog loves. I often use chicken liver.

With your dog and you inside near the dog door, have the person outside call your puppy by name. When your pup goes through the dog door, they should find this person right outside the dog door. When the pup is completely through the dog door, have them give him a treat and then say the command word after the treat goes into hi mouth.

Call your dog back inside, pet him under his chin and say sit. Have the person outside call the dog again, but this time move one step farther away from the door. Keep repeating this process for 10 treats, then have the humans swap places. When you go outside, stand where the other person was standing when they finished. Practice the routine for another 10 treats.

The next time your practice, the person should be at the same distance from the door as they were when they stopped last time. Maybe a few feet closer. Practice for another five to 10 treats.

At some point, when the dog is running through the door with glee, try saying the command word when the dog is inside with you and someone is outside waiting. If the dog goes through the door on his own, have the person on the other side give five treats in a row, saying the command word after each one. We call this a jackpot, and its a great way to reward a big accomplishment like responding to the command word.

Once you can say the command word and have the dog go out, you need to start providing the dog with things to discover and motivate him to stay outside and explore. You can leave a small trail of treats from where the person was standing to the grass the first time. The next time, leave another trail, but add a small pile of shredded cheese at the end of the trail (which should be in the grass).

The cheese promotes sniffing the ground, which is healthy and may lead to other exploring. The goal here is to provide motivation to go outside and progressively increase the length of the stay.

Practice this a few times, but keep moving the shredded cheese farther into the lawn — maybe one foot farther each practice. While you are doing this, use less treats for the trail, spacing the treats farther apart. At some point, you will stop with the trail and just leave some shredded cheese on the lawn for your dog to find.

You can also leave new toys outside, as well as chewy items like bully sticks, cows ears, etc. The idea is to leave good stuff outside for your dog to find, which gives him more incentive to go out and explore. With enough positive exposures, your dog will go out often looking for them and this should lead to going potty on his own as well.

Good luck and remember — everything you do trains your dog. Only sometimes you mean it.

Close

Despite being a senior cat at 10 years old, Baby is full of energy and mischief. Here, she dangles from a bannister in her house in Gretna.

Karen Windle, copy editor

We’re Bruce and Ernie (left). We love sneaking raw bacon off the kitchen counter, lounging around the house naked, er, without our collars and making friends with deer. (The deer *love* to play tag, but for some reason we’re always “it.”) 

Katy Glover, online editor

Buster can put a smile on your face like no one else, including those of neighbors who spot him dragging me along on a walk or run. Unfortunately, this high-energy guy recently has been sidelined by the doggie version of a torn ACL and subsequent knee surgery. He could use a little boost, so I’m nominating him for the OWH Pet Parade.

Julie Anderson, news reporter

At left is Clyde. He’s a dog. He’s 2 ½. He’s deaf. At right is Pieces. He’s a cat. He’s 13. He can hear. They would like very much for you to pick them!

Brad Davis, business editor

If you’re an avid reader of the World-Herald, maybe you’ve heard of Cooper. Features reporter Chris Peters has written about raising Cooper. Here he is on the custom pallet bed his mom built for him.

Chris Peters, features reporter

At left is Daisy. Her best friend is a reindeer, who comes to visit a few weeks each year. She complains a lot to the non-magical beings she lives with, for obvious reasons. At right is Diaz. He’s a handsome  boy who doesn’t care about that. He loves walks and belly rubs, all people, most dogs, one cat, and zero racoons and opossums. 

Rich Mills, copy editor

At the Ducey Farm in Dundee, we have the blackshirt gals who guard the back yard (Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt), and the chickens who help me garden (Brooklyn and Penny). They produce eggs and inspire pillows for the cutest and most fashionable dogs in the world (Phoebe, Gigi and cousin Tyson), who love to bark at the feral cats (Bunny and Butterscotch) who live outside and have matching tails!

Marjie Ducey, reporter

Gator likes eating snackies, expertly posing for pictures, getting floof everywhere and borking (not barking) at neighbor dogs.

Cory Gilinsky, features (and Sarah Jarecki, civilian)

Gracie the border collie and Beau the red heeler like long walks and frequent car rides, especially to drive-thrus that give treats. 

Deb Shanahan, metro desk editor, and Kent Sievers, photographer

Isabel doesn’t enjoy her humans (especially the little ones) a lot, but sometimes likes a good chin scratch. Mostly she enjoys being left alone to sit on top of the piano and watch the birds outside.

Kevin Coffey, music critic

Izzy is 6 months old. She likes to chase her tail (and often catches it), climb up couches (and people), and bother Zake. Zake is 15 years old and unsure of Izzy. After all, Izzy has the high ground.

Zach Tegler, copy desk

Jameson may be named after whiskey, but this five-year-old gal is all sweetness. At first skittish after being rescued from a farm in Oklahoma, now her favorite hobby is stealing hearts — and covers.​

Laurel Foster, online

We say Juni found us after my wife was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. This little Havaton brings our family joy, love and snuggles every day.​

Jeff Robb, news reporter/data geek

Laika is, hands down, the happiest dog at the dog park. She is named after the heroic Russian cosmonaut dog, one of the first animals in space. Ciara loves to pray. When she joins our family in prayer, she sounds like Scooby Doo. She is fiercely loyal and protective.

Susan Szalewski, copy editor and news reporter

Lolo was adopted seven years ago in Louisiana. She’s a mutt, and we think she’s part nutria, otherwise known as a swamp rat.

Hunter Paniagua, digital sports coordinator

Minerva is a very hard worker. Two-year-old “Minnie” likes to spend her time cleaning, inspecting boxes and bird watching. (And looking adorable.)

Brandon Olson, digital content hub editor

Molly, a rat-terrier Chihuahua from NHS, loved everyone she met. She was an excellent high jumper and cuddler and gave us joy for 17 years. She died in April.

Betsie Freeman, features reporter

Nellie is a 10-year-old tabby cat who is more like 5 years old at heart. She enjoys sleeping in fresh, warm laundry, eating, chasing lasers and listening to stories with best friend, 4-year-old Sam.​

Ashlee Coffey, Momaha.com editor

This is Oliver. He has three legs and a bullet permanently lodged in him. (We didn’t put it there). He pretends like he’s surly and tough but deep down he’s very snuggly.

Roseann Moring, political reporter

Eighteen-year-old cat

Loves tuna, SBH and

A fireside nap

Sarah Baker Hansen, features, and Matthew Hansen, columnist

I’m Sasha. I was a stray in Oklahoma (where my ear was somehow torn) before a shelter rescued me & treated my heartworm. I just tested negative for heartworm, yay! I really like to play dead & get belly rubs!

Alia Conley, news reporter

Slugger, owned by the original Pet Parade Petitor in Chief and saved by Big Red Rescue in Omaha, chases his tail faster to his right than to his left. He ate a hole in the blinds to watch his owner come and go.

Steven Elonich, online editor

Toby is a 4-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback mix with a big personality. Given the protective tendencies of his breed, he’s very serious about watching over his property — and his owners. Until he isn’t.

Dave Elsesser, features editor, and RyAnne Elsesser

Toothpick loves biting bare legs, gazing longingly at birds outside and dipping his paw into bags of Spicy Nacho Doritos so he can lick off the Doritos dust (which his owners know is gross and bad but are powerless to stop). ​

Erin Duffy, news reporter

Boston Terriers, Willow, 8, and Dexter, 6, have a closet full of costumes, sweaters, scarves and even some pajamas. They only sit this nicely for photos because there are LOTS of treats involved – but really – they are crazy little puppies!

Tammy Yttri, copy desk chief

Nine years ago, we found Zed roaming the earth (it was a ruff life). He’s a good boy. He likes his toy lobster, pepperonis (which we call pupperonis) and keeping up with his fans at Zedwin.org. 

Graham Archer, digital editor

Hi, my name is Zeus, I an eight-year-old American Eskimo looking to get back in the game. They say I am fixed, but I think my only problem is you aren’t in my life. I love long walks and treats. I want someone to chase squirrels with.  Won’t you paw right?

Chris Machian, photographer

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